It's said out of the ground the steam rises as though the city was ready to erupt! A striking image, but the subterranean geothermal energy that bubbles beneath your feet bears zero relation to the cause of your office, flat, or restaurant going up in flames. Bad electrical wiring, a fuse box under strain or an unwatched burner – any of these things can get the blaze going, just like any other city in NZ 
A regional fire protection specialist's first job is understanding the buildings they're spectrumfire responsible for. The rustic wooden lodge on the lakefront is vastly different to that busy over-run tourist complex packed with visitors oblivious to evacuation routes. The city's popular thermal spas for which this city is famous, with moisture-heavy air that would ruin a high quality fire alarm within just a few months - every one of them require very different strategies of fire protection. Fire extinguishers are generally the first thing that comes to mind; yet they aren't a "catch-all" solution. Your hot water cylinder or the server room genuinely requires a specialised, pricier extinguisher which has been designed to kill liquid or oil fires only, when in fact a dry chemical extinguisher would be more effective in that case. It's worth noting it's important to remember that any commercial kitchen now appears high on the list of dangers, and needs a wet chemical model rated for any liquid cooking oils should one break out (Class F)? The humble sprinkler system is rarely appreciated until it's what saves the day. The region's mineral-rich water cause calcification in pipework of the sprinkler system, therefore that annual flow test is a must, not a nice-to-have - it's your best defence against major losses. Fire alarm systems frequently get neglected with tests seldom carried out - money was spent, then attention moved elsewhere. That gap in awareness might mean the battery that was fitted all those years ago during New Zealand's 'bronze age of mobile technology' has now given up. A yearly check-up will detect it all - before it turns into anything that makes the news. There's also that dreaded annual occurrence that comes with the ownership of any building - your Building Warrant of Fitness (BWoF). Being caught out as you seek the inspector at the eleventh hour creates unnecessary pressure, it will typically result in the building not meeting the standard. A reliable contractor, however, stays ahead of the schedule, and carry out all the required records before the Building Warrant of Fitness due date comes around while your landlord watches closely. Don't overlook arguably the weakest link in fire safety, however - your human resources. Employees, for instance, with their fingers barely inches, then feet, and then yards from possible fire hazards, may not know how to use the fire extinguisher, or even, even release the fire blanket kept nearby. Just ten minutes of training on stopping a fryer fire from spreading beats all any laminated safety poster.